Changli Electric Truck Holds Up After Five Years — SkimNews
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- Changli spent five years hauling mulch, sand, lumber, logs and yard waste on a 10-acre Florida homestead, with its hydraulic dump bed handling bulk loads and a custom solar pump turning it into a mobile irrigation truck.
- Truck electrical systems remain functional after five years: windows, locks, headlights, the backup camera and air conditioning all work, with vented air measuring around 55°F and no major drivetrain failures recorded.
- Five-year wear is mostly cosmetic: corrosion is concentrated around scratched tailgate and cargo-bed edges, while the wiper lost travel, the mirror repeatedly detached, the driver’s faux-leather seat tore and rear-light lenses clouded.
- Softer springs made the Changli more comfortable, while a custom tow hitch and aggressive off-road tires improved its sandy and muddy-terrain use; the spring change limited comfortable loads to around 500 pounds before the rear squatted and the hitch threatened to touch grass.
- Kandi electric UTV took over smaller daily chores with its better suspension and powered drop-down bed, but the Changli remained his father’s choice for bulky loads, long branches, dirt and mulch.
- US Treasury tariffs and nearly $2,000 in ocean freight added several thousand dollars to the truck’s $2,080 factory price, with customs-broker and import-documentation fees on top.
- Charging the Changli costs a little over $1, maintenance has been minimal and the vehicle remains non-street-legal, without the safety equipment, crash protection or regulatory approvals of a modern pickup.
Why it matters: For the owner, the $2,080 factory price plus nearly $2,000 in freight and added tariffs meant several thousand dollars upfront, yet five years of hauling yielded no major drivetrain failure, minimal maintenance and a charge costing little over $1. The family gained an inexpensive tool, but it remains unsuitable as a road-going pickup.
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